1. [Ted Panitz] Name of theory: [Collaboration] Description of theory: [A philosophy about how to relate to others-- how to learn and work. It is a way of dealing with people that respects differences, shares authority, and builds on the knowledge that is distributed among other people.]
2.[John Dewey] Name of theory: [Inquiry of Learning] Description of theory: [Approach in which the teacher presents a puzzling situation and students solve the problem by gathering data and testing their conclusions.]
3.[David & Roger Johnson] Name of theory: [Cooperative learning] Description of theory: [Situations in which elaboration, interpretation, explanation, and argumentation are integral to the activity of the group and where learning is supported by other individuals.]
4. [R. Keith Sawyer] Name of theory: [Basic Assumptions of the Learning Sciences] [Deep learning vs traditional classroom practices] Description of theory: [Even though the different fields in the learning sciences approach their study from varying perspectives, there is growing agreement about some basic assumptions. 1. Experts have deep conceptual knowledge. 2. Learning comes from the learner. 3. Schools must create effective learning environments. 4. Prior knowledge is key. 5. Reflection is necessary to develop deep conceptual knowledge.]
5. [Lev Vygotsky] Name of theory: [Social Constructivism] Description of theory: [Social interaction, cultural tools, and activity shape individual development and learning.]
Learning Sciences covers research over psychology, education, computer science, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience, and other fields that study learning.
There are five basic assumptions of the learning sciences
Experts have deep conceptual knowledge
This allows them to apply and modify their knowledge to work in any situation
Learning comes from the learner
Students have to be involved in the construction of their personal knowledge
Schools must create effective learning environments
Students need an environment where they can enhance their understandings; allowing them to use what they learned in school in their own personal life
Prior knowledge is key
Teaching has to start with what the student already knows; otherwise they’ll only learn what they think is important for tests, and their knowledge or beliefs on the world won’t change
Reflection is necessary to develop deep conceptual knowledge
Thoughtfully analyze their own work and progress
Embodied Cognition
“The way we think about and represent information reflects the fact that we need to interact with the world.” (Ashcraft & Radvansky, 2010, p.32)
Our senses and motor responses are central to how we think. The body is primary, but without the mind, it is unable to successfully interact with the world. To understand our mind, we first have to understand our body
Humans are capable of adapting to ever changing situations
Cognitive and Social Constructivism
Constructivist theories of learning focus on how people make meaning; on their own and in interaction with others
Central Idea 1: Learners are active in constructing their own knowledge
Psychological constructivists focus on how individuals use information, resources, and even help from others to build and improve their mental models and problem-solving strategies
Central Idea 2: Social interactions are important in this knowledge construction process
Social constructivists view learning as increasing our abilities to participate with others in activities that are meaningful in the culture
First Wave Constructivism (Psychological (Piaget))
How individuals make sense of their world, based on their knowledge, beliefs, self concept, or identity
Second Wave Constructivism (Social (Vygotsky))
Social interaction, cultural tools, and activity shape individual development and learning.How public knowledge is constructed into academic disciplines
By working with others in various activities, learners can acquire new strategies and knowledge of their world
Constructionists are interested in:
How everyday beliefs about the world are communicated to new members of a sociocultural group
Constructivists debate whether knowledge is:
Constructed by mapping external reality
By adapting and changing internal understandings
By an interaction of external forces and internal understandings
There is also debate over whether knowledge can constructed in one situation and applied in another, or if knowledge is confined to the context in which it was learned
Enculturation is a broad and complex process of acquiring knowledge and understanding consistent with Vygotsky’s theory of mediated learning
Culture of the Classroom can:
Teach lessons about thinking by giving us examples of good thinking
Provide direct instruction in thinking processes
Encourage practice of those thinking processes through interactions with others
Many constructivist approaches recommend:
Complex, challenging learning environments and authentic tasks
Social negotiation and co-construction
Multiple representations of content
Understanding that knowledge is constructed
Student ownership of learning
Part Two: Applying Constructivist Perspectives Telling the differences between inquiry and problem based learning
Inquiry begins when the teacher presents a puzzling event, question, or problem.Teachers start out with central role, but as the discussion goes on, the students take over more and more control
Students ask questions, then formulate hypotheses to explain the event, or solve the problem
Collect data to test the hypotheses about casual relationships
Form conclusions and generalizations
Reflect on the original problem and the thinking processes needed to solve it
Problem based learning begins with an authentic problem
The goal is to learn math/science/history or some other topic while seeking a real solution to a real problem
Features that Cognitive apprenticeship approaches share
Students observe an expert model the performance
Get external support through coaching or tutoring
Receive scaffolding through coaching (which is then gradually faded as the student becomes more competent and proficient)
Students continually articulate their knowledge
Reflect on their progress, comparing problem solving to an expert’s performance and to their own earlier performances
Students explore new ways to apply what they are learning
Dialogue in reciprocal teaching
The goal is to help students understand and think deeply about what they read
To accomplish this, students in small reading groups learn four strategies
Summarizing the content of the passage
Asking a question about the central point
Clarifying the difficult parts of the material
Predicting what will come next
Differences between collaboration and cooperation
Collaboration is a philosophy about how to relate to other; how to learn and work. It’s a way of dealing with people that respects differences, shares authority and builds on the knowledge that is distributed among other people
Cooperation is a way of working together with others to attain a shared goal
Learning theory underpinnings of cooperative learning
Learning can be enhanced in cooperative groups through rehearsal and elaboration, creation and resolution of disequilibrium, or scaffolding of higher mental processes
Cooperative learning elements
Students interact face-to-face and close together
Group members experience positive interdependence (support, explanations, guidance)
Members of the group must ultimately demonstrate learning on their own (they are held individually accountable for learning)
Members monitor group processes and relationships to make sure the group is working effectively and to learn about the dynamics of groups
Tasks matching designs in cooperative learning
Rewards can enhance motivation, effort, and persistence
Roles that focus attention on the work can be productive
Strategies that encourage extended and productive interactions can be appropriate
Possible strategies for cooperative learning
Reciprocal questioning
Jigsaw structured controversy
Cooperative structures described by Spencer Kagan
Part Three: Service Learning
Key characteristics
Activities should be organized around designed to meet actual community needs, and integrated into the student’s curriculum
Teachers should provide time for students to reflect on and write about their service experience
offer opportunities to apply newly learned academic skills and knowledge
strive to enhance both academic learning and sense of caring for others
Be an integral part of the student’s learning
Learning in a Digital World
Communication and interaction through technology with others may shape the way that a student thinks involving socialization.
Computers, iPods, smart phones, digital readers, interactive gaming systems
Technology can be used as a helpful tool in learning, but it does have its limitations
Technology cannot replace the actual teacher when concerning direct instruction
Our classrooms may advance into using the virtual world more with students as time goes on
Students may work alone or with others to solve problems, create projects, simulate the skills of experts, visit historical sites, tour world class museums, or play games that teach and apply academic skills
No matter how advanced we get though, we will still need teachers to help us use these tools to their full potential
Concept One: Two Central Ideas of Constructivism Idea 1: Learners are active in constructing their own knowledge Idea 2: Social Interactions are important in this knowledge construction process
Concept Two: Authentic Tasks and Social Interactions: Constructivist approaches recommend that educators emphasize complex, realistic, and relevant learning environments, as well as the importance of social interactions in the learning process. Concept Three: Nurturing Independent Readers: The concept of scaffolding and gradually moving the student toward independent and fluid reading comprehension is a critical component in reciprocal teaching and cognitive apprenticeships
Practical Applications: Idea One: Chapter 10 focused on constructivism which is a teaching theory that states that learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world. It differs from traditional learning styles in the fact that the student becomes an active learner instead of a passive one. Real learning takes place when the brain is engaged and creative. A teacher goes about "activating" their students learning by triggering and cultivating curiosity. When students are curious they explore the world around them for answers. The teacher can then guide and reinforce the content of the lesson.
Idea Two: Another key factor in the constructivism teaching style is building off of prior knowledge. This is simply playing along with how or brain naturally operates. As humans we piece together similar ideas/experiences as we constantly define and redefine them. When a totally new idea is thrown at us it is hard to grasp- unless we can put it into context with something we do understand. Building off of prior knowledge paints a picture in the mind of a child through a process of sorting between "this information is similar to what I already know" or "this information differs from what I know in this way." This process is done through engaging in discussion between teachers and students and between the students themselves.
Idea Three: Another key idea is collaboration. When students work in groups they can share their own perspectives and learn from one another. Together they can explore "why does the world work this way?" or "what could make it better?" Through the use of the scientific method students can experiment with ideas and theories that they create- and then test them to see what is actually true! A very important part of this whole experience is giving children time for reflection. As a teacher you need their feed back of what worked and did not work. This way you can alter and establish a lesson plan that reaches students on a deeper level and causes them to truly learn. The ultimate goal of constructivism is that the student "learns how to learn" and becomes and expert of their own learning.
Licensure Exam (Connect and Extend to Praxis II): Connection One: Inquiry Learning (II, A2, 3) Inquiry learning is a student centered approach to learning that predates many "traditional" forms of instruction. Teacher presents puzzling situation and students solve the problem by gathering data and testing their conclusions.
Connection Two: Forms of Cooperative Learning (II, A2) Jigsaw classroom: each student is part of a group, and each group member is given part of the material to be learned by the whole group. Students become "expert" on their piece and then teach it to the others in their group. Structured Controversy: Students work in pairs within the four person cooperative groups to research a particular controversy
Connection Three: Student Centered Learning (II, A3) Many of the major initiatives to reform content-area curricula emphasize student-centered approach to learning. The major principles include complex learning environment, social negotiation and inter subjective attitudes. Complex learning environment: Problems and learning situations that mimic the ill-structured nature of real life Social Negotiation: Aspect of learning process that relies on collaboration with others and respect for different perspectives Inter subjective Attitude: A commitment to build shared meaning with others by finding common ground and exchanging interpretations (back to top)
All but which one of the following activities would be consistent with a constructivist environment?
Students are given frequent opportunities to engage in complex, meaningful, problem-based activities
Students work collaboratively and are given support to engage in task-oriented dialogue with one another
Teachers elicit students' ideas and experiences in relationship to key topics, then fashion learning situations that assist students in elaborating on or restructuring their current knowledge
Teachers employ limited assessment strategies and give feedback on products rather than processes.
Group activities must be well planned. Students need to be prepared to work in groups, and teachers have to be explicit in stating their expectations. Which one of the following strategies is NOT an element which defines true cooperative learning?
Positive interdependence and individual accountability
Group processing
Competition
Collaborative and social skill
Research demonstrates that constructive controversy can lead to greater learning, open-mindedness, seeing the perspectives of others, creativity, motivation, and engagement. Which one of the following is the set up for activities that engage students in structured controversies?
Students work in pairs within their four-person cooperative groups to research a particular argument
Each student is part of a group and each group member is given part of the material to be learned by the whole group. Students become experts on their piece and then teach it to the others in their group
Students intuitively understand the design that helps them think deeply about what they need
A combination of academic learning with personal and social development for secondary and college students is created
Table of Contents
Chapter Outline
Key Terms
http://quizlet.com/35247094/chapter-10-flash-cards/(back to top)
Key Theorists
1. [Ted Panitz]Name of theory: [Collaboration]
Description of theory: [A philosophy about how to relate to others-- how to learn and work. It is a way of dealing with people that respects differences, shares authority, and builds on the knowledge that is distributed among other people.]
2.[John Dewey]
Name of theory: [Inquiry of Learning]
Description of theory: [Approach in which the teacher presents a puzzling situation and students solve the problem by gathering data and testing their conclusions.]
3.[David & Roger Johnson]
Name of theory: [Cooperative learning]
Description of theory: [Situations in which elaboration, interpretation, explanation, and argumentation are integral to the activity of the group and where learning is supported by other individuals.]
4. [R. Keith Sawyer]
Name of theory: [Basic Assumptions of the Learning Sciences] [Deep learning vs traditional classroom practices]
Description of theory: [Even though the different fields in the learning sciences approach their study from varying perspectives, there is growing agreement about some basic assumptions. 1. Experts have deep conceptual knowledge. 2. Learning comes from the learner. 3. Schools must create effective learning environments. 4. Prior knowledge is key. 5. Reflection is necessary to develop deep conceptual knowledge.]
5. [Lev Vygotsky]
Name of theory: [Social Constructivism]
Description of theory: [Social interaction, cultural tools, and activity shape individual development and learning.]
(back to top)
Summary of Chapter
Part One:The Learning Sciences:
- Experts have deep conceptual knowledge
- This allows them to apply and modify their knowledge to work in any situation
- Learning comes from the learner
- Students have to be involved in the construction of their personal knowledge
- Schools must create effective learning environments
- Students need an environment where they can enhance their understandings; allowing them to use what they learned in school in their own personal life
- Prior knowledge is key
- Teaching has to start with what the student already knows; otherwise they’ll only learn what they think is important for tests, and their knowledge or beliefs on the world won’t change
- Reflection is necessary to develop deep conceptual knowledge
- Thoughtfully analyze their own work and progress
Embodied CognitionCognitive and Social Constructivism
Part Two:
Applying Constructivist Perspectives
Telling the differences between inquiry and problem based learning
Part Three:
Service Learning
- Key characteristics
- Activities should be organized around designed to meet actual community needs, and integrated into the student’s curriculum
- Teachers should provide time for students to reflect on and write about their service experience
- offer opportunities to apply newly learned academic skills and knowledge
- strive to enhance both academic learning and sense of caring for others
- Be an integral part of the student’s learning
Learning in a Digital World(back to top)
Key Concepts
Concept One: Two Central Ideas of ConstructivismIdea 1: Learners are active in constructing their own knowledge
Idea 2: Social Interactions are important in this knowledge construction process
Concept Two: Authentic Tasks and Social Interactions:
Constructivist approaches recommend that educators emphasize complex, realistic, and relevant learning environments, as well as the importance of social interactions in the learning process.
Concept Three: Nurturing Independent Readers:
The concept of scaffolding and gradually moving the student toward independent and fluid reading comprehension is a critical component in reciprocal teaching and cognitive apprenticeships
(back to top)
Application for Teachers
Practical Applications:Idea One:
Chapter 10 focused on constructivism which is a teaching theory that states that learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world. It differs from traditional learning styles in the fact that the student becomes an active learner instead of a passive one. Real learning takes place when the brain is engaged and creative. A teacher goes about "activating" their students learning by triggering and cultivating curiosity. When students are curious they explore the world around them for answers. The teacher can then guide and reinforce the content of the lesson.
Idea Two:
Another key factor in the constructivism teaching style is building off of prior knowledge. This is simply playing along with how or brain naturally operates. As humans we piece together similar ideas/experiences as we constantly define and redefine them. When a totally new idea is thrown at us it is hard to grasp- unless we can put it into context with something we do understand. Building off of prior knowledge paints a picture in the mind of a child through a process of sorting between "this information is similar to what I already know" or "this information differs from what I know in this way." This process is done through engaging in discussion between teachers and students and between the students themselves.
Idea Three:
Another key idea is collaboration. When students work in groups they can share their own perspectives and learn from one another. Together they can explore "why does the world work this way?" or "what could make it better?" Through the use of the scientific method students can experiment with ideas and theories that they create- and then test them to see what is actually true! A very important part of this whole experience is giving children time for reflection. As a teacher you need their feed back of what worked and did not work. This way you can alter and establish a lesson plan that reaches students on a deeper level and causes them to truly learn. The ultimate goal of constructivism is that the student "learns how to learn" and becomes and expert of their own learning.
Licensure Exam (Connect and Extend to Praxis II):
Connection One:
Inquiry Learning (II, A2, 3)
Inquiry learning is a student centered approach to learning that predates many "traditional" forms of instruction. Teacher presents puzzling situation and students solve the problem by gathering data and testing their conclusions.
Connection Two:
Forms of Cooperative Learning (II, A2)
Jigsaw classroom: each student is part of a group, and each group member is given part of the material to be learned by the whole group. Students become "expert" on their piece and then teach it to the others in their group.
Structured Controversy: Students work in pairs within the four person cooperative groups to research a particular controversy
Connection Three:
Student Centered Learning (II, A3)
Many of the major initiatives to reform content-area curricula emphasize student-centered approach to learning. The major principles include complex learning environment, social negotiation and inter subjective attitudes.
Complex learning environment: Problems and learning situations that mimic the ill-structured nature of real life
Social Negotiation: Aspect of learning process that relies on collaboration with others and respect for different perspectives
Inter subjective Attitude: A commitment to build shared meaning with others by finding common ground and exchanging interpretations
(back to top)
Applications for Content
Application One:[http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index_sub2.html]
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Multimedia Learning Material
Overview of items:A step by step over view of constructionism and two YouTube videos to go along
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POOT Forums
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Test Your Knowledge
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Teacher Resources
http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/(back to top)
Top-Rated Student Generated Files
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